Japanese traditional inns’ #1 anxiety-producing rule is without a doubt, “You must bathe nude with strangers.” Naturally, those who come from cultures where nakedness is seldom allowed outside of intimate situations* this just feels wrong. And no amount of online assurance that “nobody cares how you look” and judgey admonishment to “just get over yourContinueContinue reading “What’s the REAL reason swimsuits aren’t allowed in baths at Japanese inns?”
Category Archives: Burning questions
Noooo! Why is it CLOSED?!
There’s nothing more disappointing than flying all the way to Japan, navigating the trains, and hiking to the pin on your map,* only to discover that something you really want to see is CLOSED! Here’s what locals know about when things are open and when they’re not. 1 The 30-Minute Rule Most places don’t allowContinueContinue reading “Noooo! Why is it CLOSED?!”
What Japanese phrases should I learn before I go?
None. That’s right, none. Yikes, that seems super rude, right? Nobody wants to be the kind of clueless tourist who assumes all the world speaks English! But let’s imagine for a moment how trotting out those “useful Japanese phrases” you plan to memorize on the plane will play out… Imagine, if you will, a foreignContinueContinue reading “What Japanese phrases should I learn before I go?”
Jonelle Patrick writes about Japan 